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13 December 11
As an adolescent I aspired to lasting fame, I craved factual certainty, and I thirsted for a meaningful vision of human life - so I became a scientist. This is like becoming an archbishop so you can meet girls.
-- M. Cartmill

04 December 11
The great tragedy of Science - the slaying of a beautiful hypothesis by an ugly fact.
-- Thomas H. Huxley

31 October 11
Crèche in zoology refers to care of another's offspring, for instance in a colony. This provides a perfect descriptive analogy for the collectivism that must congeal and solidify when a teme is in its early stage of it's lifecycle. Without this structure, proactively protecting/defending and ensuring the spread of an online artifact, the teme itself will not survive --- often regardless of what the originator of said teme does to positively impact the longevity of the teme itself. This collectivism can be quantified through Digital Sociology as a teme with the temporal and spatial requirements for survival versus those that quickly die-off as an online meme.

28 June 11
I am returning this otherwise good typing paper to you because someone has printed gibberish all over it and put your name at the top.
  -- An English Professor, Ohio University

27 May 11
Every composer knows the anguish and despair occasioned by forgetting ideas which one had no time to write down.
  -- Hector Berlioz

10 May 11
What Wedgewood Knew

It is of interest to note that in 2011 the public believes refined marketing and consumer production practices to be very modern phenomena. What is misunderstood is that the core principles and activities utilized in advanced strategies and tactics (inclusive of the social web) had its roots in the 18th century. Perceptive entrepreneurs, such as Josiah Wedgewood, exploited modern aspects of marketing. Processes and positioning like targeted segmentation and trend superiority were used effectively to sell products (in his case, housewares) into an ever-broadening array of society. These innovators implicitly understood details of the social structure for which they resided… one where trends where often begun with the Aristocracy. Most convenient was the fact that Industrialization and colonialism assisted in providing ample goods at lower prices for the first time in history. So much so, that Wedgewood and his compatriots witnessed these unique, unprecedented elements coming together to spark shopping (and that of a consumer-based economy) as a new activity engaged in by a growing middle class. This emergent social class was actively seeking products and services to leverage in portraying that of climbing the social ladder towards the trend-legislating Royals.

Wedgewood became quite adept at creating and then fully exploiting marketing and advertising techniques, such as “instant status” for encouraging consumption of luxury goods that fulfilled this inherent desire to upgrade social placement. He also knew to maintain a keen eye towards the Royals. With great expediency and efficiency, this group of entrepreneurs strategically placed what they saw being worn or used by the Aristocrats on a paid accomplice who then was swiftly integrated into a large tea party, ushered into a public dinner, or conspicuously positioned on the front row of bleachers while watching a popular cricket match. Obviously, Wedgewood and associates understood the value of “word-of-mouth” conveyance. His modern day counterpart would instantly recognize this effort as equal to a successful tweet or a thumbs-up “like” vote on a fan page. The differences between then and now can be identified as the lifecycle factors involved in “word-of-mouth” activities. Without a defined strategy supported by social web portfolio management capabilities (see PACE on the Temetic.com Solutions Page), a modern day Wedgewood cannot effectively identify an optimal time to seed conveyance, nor understand the supporting factors of teme spread; such as susceptibility, strength, and radiation. Today it is vital to understand the obscure socialization factors and associated minutiae involved with word-of-mouth conveyance. This knowledge is required for remaining dynamically and appropriately engaged based on how and why message circulation is accelerating, leveling or dying. Your brand value depends on it.

One thing is certain: It is no longer as easy as watching the Royals.

23 April 11
An Ecological Locality-centric Metric inducing Sustainable Practices Supported through Property Value Adjustments for Real Estate

Position Paper, Richard R. Neal, (authored:12/09)

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to introduce a deterministic algorithm providing a metric of sustainability into Real Estate property valuation due to a historic ignorance of the direct negative correlation of impact (costs) caused by long-term non-renewable resource utilization expressed in usage and maintenance with that of a balanced ecological footprint. America has been offered little in proper behavioral reinforcement illuminative of ecologically-sustainable practices. Current programs, such as Energy Star™, LEED©, FEMP, and Green Globes, are widely misunderstood or remain virtually unknown for much of the public. And even if they are used, the established elements are either too broad (expensive) or too incremental (non-fungible) for the average user to reap any benefit. Specific to conventional commerce, an ecologically responsible posture is still being interpreted as that of superficial “green branding” in an effort to augment perceptions driving brand value with subjective positive benefit actually gained for the environment. Additionally, the dedicated consumer of products deemed “green” are increasingly recognized through a socio-politically polarized lens. This identification is defined roughly as an amalgam of members characterized by their often-mercurial brand loyalties underwriting their consumption patterns with an increased vulnerability as a target of political and economic stereotyping. In effect, the solidifying cultural norms enveloping the perception of “green” remain partially subjugated to that of a dynamic sub-cultural profile – not fully embraced as mainstream. The effect of this resistant polarization is that the average U.S. citizen is not offered a means by which to understand the impact of their socially-acceptable, yet ecologically unsustainable behaviors and has little access to public knowledge on what to do even if they are aware of their heavy footprint. What is needed is a central fundament that seamlessly promotes adoptability of sustainable behaviors. One that is adaptable across ecologies systemically represented in North America. For broad acceptance and ease of uptake, this fundament must be conveyed via a comprehendible structure interwoven into a primary asset class within the general economy – one that is can be invested within or viewed as an element holding tangible value by the majority. The most identifiable asset class that meets the defined prerequisites of this effort is that of Real Estate. By properly incentivizing behaviors and thereby promoting the correct expectations aligned with sound practices producing a regionally-tailored ecological balance in Commercial and Residential property ownership (maintenance and utilization), we can make a significant positive impact on sustainability in this country. And through the use of the sustainability algorithm (calculated and transmitted in terms of investment dollars), we can circumvent social misconceptions of being “green” while simultaneously increasing real estate valuations currently representing over $2 trillion of tangible asset holdings within the United States.  

08 Apr 11
"There is no certain date of victory, only a final state to which we must strive."
 
Dedicated Open Source Developer remark made in the context of the bountiful library of CTTL components for creating lexical analyzers making practical use of EBNF grammars - or more succinctly, the application of text transformation and analysis.

30 Mar 11
Interactions of Top-Down and Bottom-Up Mechanisms in Human Visual Cortex

A recent article in the Journal of Neuroscience was sent to me via my ultra-anti-clutter wife in reference to my ultra-cluttered office. The premise of the research detailed that clutter negatively impacts productivity (ergo.. it is [theoretically] distracting). Based on this, the scope immediately caught my attention (obviously I wasn't too distracted! HA!) enough to shoot-off an inquiry to the lead Scientist.

[@princeton.edu]
Congratulations on your recent published article in the latest edition of the Journal of Neuroscience. To serve as a brief introduction, I work for a online research firm focused on a discipline called Digital Sociology -- and I found your research fascinating.

One particular element of the mentioned "experiment paradigm" (ref. incorporating both top-down and bottom-up mechanisms) that I wanted to inquire about was related to identifying hemispheric dominance or possibly more relevant, a creative aptitude, in the test subjects. Given the neural processes involved in the focus-orientation mechanisms, would this dominance or aptitude have any theoretical affect? Speaking from a non-significant, very subjective observation, the culturally-ingrained stereotype of a cluttered artist's studio would seem to offer a countering frame of thought when considering an overlay of hemisphere orientation or active creativity. As well as a more specific example of the predominant left-handedness (right-brained) of the personnel of the innovation consulting firm IDEO (www.ideo.com). Each of their numerous offices spread worldwide looks like it is undergoing an exercise in violent entropy - yet cumulative productivity in left-brained work (math, logic, formal business communication structure, etc.) "seems" to remain consistently high.

In summation, your research is remarkable and I was simply intrigued as to possible alternative variables involved in the hypothesis drawn upon productivity affectors. In any event, thank you for the excellent research.

19 Mar 11
Imagine Using Your Imagination

The famous German Physicist Max Plank stated that paradigm-shifting achievements are accorded individuals underpinned by "a vivid intuitive imagination, for new ideas are not generated by deduction, but by an artistically creative imagination."

28 Feb 11
A Working Theory about the Hindrance of Creativity-induced Productivity (Innovation) caused by Over-specialization

On February 15, I shared with you a paper I’m preparing for submittal into a Paleontology Society for which I am a member (see the next blog entry below). The paper, a summary of some spectacular research, is logically limited to the field of Paleontology. However, I also wanted you, the reader, to use this paper think about the implications of over-specialization and its theoretical negative impact upon creative-based productivity (a precusor to Innovation). Based upon the paleo-research overview… on one hand, you’ve the uber-specialist – the Paleontologist – this is his life’s work and encompasses all he knows. On the other you’ve the Polymath – some would argue that he knows a little about a lot and leverages different methodologies to supercharge his results in a diversity of fields. Ergo, I submit to you that this research would not have been undertaken to the degree it was without the influence of the polymath (knowing what I do about paleo-study and, in particular, this specific research).

We, as a race, will benefit to a higher degree if we can break-down the historical myopic paradigm inherent with our fascination with being a “Specialist”. Can you imagine a job interview where the HR Rep asks the candidate, “so I now know you understand database design… but what do you know about art and architecture? Do you play a musical instrument?” Art, Architecture… even Musical Theory offer a rich baseline in which to expand one’s knowledge of technological structure and design. This isn’t about being a Generalist. No, this is about building a diverse foundation of knowledge from which to produce the necessary elements in which to optimally “think differently” about an esoteric or highly-specialized subject matter. This is about being a "Transdisciplinarian." To over-specialize without this foundation should be thought of as synonymous with “to maintain the conventional, to snuff-out change, and even to under-perform.” Broadening one’s array of interests should be considered in a similar fashion to how dissimilar foci was considered during the Renaissance – literally a standard for which all else depends. Some of my smartest friends display pure genius in highly-concentrated, very specialized areas. However to get to know them one would quickly understand that they pull from a diverse field of disparate interests (hobbies and even play [essential for creativity]) to stay fresh and relevant in their chosen path.

Without further ado…

15 Feb 11
Dinosaur Census Reveals Abundant Tyrannosaurus and Rare Ontogenetic Stages in the Upper Cretaceous Hell Creek Formation (Maastrichtian)

A recent study carried out by a seasoned paleo-group, two of whom unknowingly carry my “favorite person” designation, produced some groundbreaking evidence of certain bio-ecological niches during the Cretaceous period. Groundbreaking, not only from the presented results, but also by the sheer nature of these two cerebral rock stars working together. Paleo-High Priest John Horner (most likely known through his work as the "Jurassic Park" Movie Advisor) and Polymath Nathan Myhrvold (of Microsoft and Intellectual Ventures fame) engaged in building a dinosaur census via what they entitled, the Hell Creek Project (1999–2009). This study draws from multiple lines of evidence from geography, taphohistory, stratigraphy, phylogeny and ontogeny. The project set about to investigate the relative abundance of large dinosaurs preserved in the Upper Cretaceous Hell Creek Formation of northeastern Montana, USA. Overall, the dinosaur skeletal assemblages in the Hell Creek Formation (excluding lag-influenced records) consist primarily of sub-adult or small adult size individuals. Small juveniles and large adults are both extremely rare, whereas sub-adult individuals are relatively common. The studies conclusion proposes that mature individuals (of at least some dinosaur taxa) either lived in a separate geographic locale analogous to younger individuals inhabiting an upland environment where sedimentation rates were relatively less, or these taxa experienced high mortality before reaching terminal size where late stage and often extreme cranial morphology is expressed.

The surprises remained tied to the relative abundance of Tyrannosaurus skeletons. They were cited as being as abundant as Edmontosaurus, an herbivore, in the upper Hell Creek Formation and nearly twice as common in the lower third of the formation. Note for non-paleo enthusiasts, this data triggered an excited response from anyone who considers himself or herself a Vert-Paleo specialized Bone Hunter. The smaller, predatory dinosaurs (e.g., Troodon and dromaeosaurids) are primarily represented by teeth found in micro-vertebrate localities and their skeletons or identifiable lag specimens were conspicuously absent. This relative abundance suggests Tyrannosaurus was not a typical predator and likely benefited from much wider food choice opportunities than exclusively live prey and/or specific taxa. Of importance, it was indicated that Tyrannosaurus adults may not have competed with Tyrannosaurus juveniles if the potential for selecting carrion increased with size during ontogeny.

In conclusion, the study further validated that Triceratops (my specialty) remain the most common dinosaur and isolated skulls contribute to a significant portion of this census. Associated specimens of Triceratops consisting of both cranial and postcranial elements remain relatively rare (and that which comprise a high proportion of my personal collection). This rarity may be explained by a historical collecting bias influenced by facies (in this case the mixing of Cretaceous and Paleocene taxa) and oft-related taphonomic factors (decomposition dynamics). The limited discovery of postcranial elements may also depend on how extensive a fossil quarry is expanded after a skull is collected. Taken together, the survey paints a fascinatingly broad picture of life in the Cretaceous period in what would become North America. 

15 Jan 11
Is China Already Number One? New GDP Estimates

When the presidents of China and the United States meet next week in Washington, neither will likely be aware that, measured in terms of purchasing power, it is Hu Jintao not Barack Obama who represents the world’s largest economy. Some time in 2010, the Chinese economy overtook that of the United States. My calculations of GDP for 2010—which of course are subject to the uncertainty associated with all such exercises—are based on new estimates of GDP that will soon be published by the Penn World Tables (PWT) under the guidance of Professor Alan Heston at the University of Pennsylvania.

Cross-country comparisons of economic size and standards of living of the average citizen rely on two approaches. The first uses market exchange rates to convert the economic value of goods and services produced around the world into a common currency, usually the dollar. According to the IMF’s latest estimates for 2010, the value of total US GDP was $14.6 trillion while that of China was $5.7 trillion.

But it has long been recognized by many economists that using the market exchange rate to value goods and services is misleading about the real costs of living in two countries. Such goods and services as medical services, retail and constructions services, and haircuts—which are not traded across borders—are cheaper in poorer countries because labor is abundant. Using the market exchange rate to compare living standards across countries understates the benefits that citizens in poor countries enjoy from having access to these goods and services.

Purchasing power parity (PPP) estimates—which take account of these differing costs—are an alternative and, in some respects, more revealing way of computing and comparing standards of living and economic size across countries. These estimates have been published periodically in the Penn World Tables since 1970. My calculations (explained in greater detail below) based on the most recent version, which is due in early February, show that the size of the Chinese economy in 2010 was about $14.8 trillion dollars—surpassing that of the United States.

[excerpt from Arvind Subramanian of the Peterson Institute of International Economics]

11 Jan 11
Children Learn What They Live
By Dorothy Law Nolte, Ph.D. (1972)

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.
If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.
If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.
If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.
If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.

01 Jan 11
Kidsandcars.org - No More Backing Blind!
Here is a great Press Release from on Organization I've been consulting to: KidsAndCars.org is elated to learn that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has prescribed the necessary solution to the devastating problem of children being backed over and killed by proposing a comprehensive rear visibility standard for all passenger vehicles. There hasn't been an announcement this big since seatbelts and airbags were added to vehicles. We will no longer be backing up blindly.

08 Dec 10
Heading West
Venture Summit Silicon Valley is a two-day gathering that highlights the significant economic, political, and technology trends impacting the global growth investor. The Venture Summit features the most influential institutional investors, venture capitalists, corporate buyers, investment bankers, and research analysts in keynote presentations and panel debates. The Venture Summit will also host 14 Best of Breed CEO Showcases handpicked from the AlwaysOn annual top 100 private company list and 36 other qualified six-minute CEO pitches from companies seeking later-stage capital or potential acquirers.

07 Nov 2010
Any sufficiently advanced bureaucracy is indistinguishable from molasses.
  -- Unknown

16 Oct 2010
As You Like It
Written by Galia Myron; Demodirt.com

How much does a Facebook ‘like’ influence a brand’s success?  
 
Forty percent of Facebook users who mark that they like a company, brand or association on the networking site do so in hopes of receiving promotions or discounts on products, but nearly as many (39 percent) give the thumb up to show friends that they support the brand, says a report detailing findings by ExactTarget.
 
Other reasons cited for marking a Facebook like are to get samples or coupons, to stay informed about company happenings, to hear about future products, and to learn about upcoming sales.
 
Consumers are using brands to express their identities, says the report, thereby becoming brand advocates. While enthusiastic marketers may enjoy this trend, they should be careful not to overwhelm Facebook fans with too much “clutter,” researchers add. How will marketers navigate these new developments as social media becomes a brand advocacy tool?
 
“There exists an engrained misunderstanding of brand advocacy behaviors online and in particular, within the new social web,” says marketing and branding expert Richard Neal, founder and chief information officer of Temetic Research. “It can be traced back to the early days of the Internet when our only way of comprehending this digital world was via the search engine.” Popular and influential are two different entities when it comes to online branding, he advises. "From search query return results, we learned to improperly define popularity—which is a broad awareness of a topic inclusive of the elements used in determining this factor, such as; hits, rank, trackbacks, inbound links, vote and comment count—as a direct synonym for influence,” Neal explains. “Obvious to anyone who steps away from the Web 2.0+ hubris for a minute, buzz doesn’t automatically equate to influence.”
 
While marketers may enjoy that Facebook users “like” the products they promote, they should not become too confident in the power of that little thumb icon, he adds. “To ‘like’ something—to vote that you feel positive towards something—is not equivalent to being a brand advocate in the historic sense of the word,” he notes.

ExactTarget recommends that brands encourage communication between their brand followers in the hopes of multiplying brand advocacy opportunities rather than create Facebook newsfeed clutter. Neal advises that marketers get specific about what defines online brand advocacy and influence. “It is time to do away with ambiguous buzz tracking and outdated paradigms on what it means to be a brand advocate as well as an Influencer,” he says.
 
“It is time for marketing intelligence to incorporate a structured measure of the attributes of networks (demographic-oriented groupings), awareness (sentiment comprehension), preferences (successful sentiment sway) and influence (observable impact)—cumulatively referred to as the Perception Chain Elements,” Neal explains.

“Without being able to clearly articulate online behaviors and engage in measurements oriented to the end-user and the particular parameters of socialization offered by the system being used (for example, Twitter), marketing intelligence will not advance beyond the 1990s,” he concludes. “And in Internet time, the ‘90s are equivalent to the Age of the Dinosaurs for the digitally-inclined.

25 Sept 2010
Prediction is very difficult, especially about the future.
  -- Niels Bohr

02 Sept 2010
Temetic Research’s Digital Sociology-based Analyses selected by the College of Business, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, to be incorporated within market research and social media sections of their marketing curriculum.

22 Aug 2010
"Time flies like an arrow, Fruit flies like a banana."

Mitch Altman, San Francisco-based founder of Cornfield Electronics, ex-employee of VPL, and charter member of Noisebridge Hacker Space --- I recently had the opportunity to meet and have an interesting talk with him at the KC Maker Faire (Parkville, Mo.) regarding the U.S. silent majority's undeclared lifestyle identified as "TV watching" as the inspiration for one of his more creative inventions, TV-Be-Gone.

26 July 2010
Forbes Columnist, Sramana Mitra's article on Temetic Research identifying the company as a winner in her 1M/1M Entrepreneurial and Innovation Competition

http://www.sramanamitra.com/2010/07/26/the-1m1m-incubation-radar-temetic-research/

06 July 2010 
Just carrying a shopping bag for a sexy brand can make one feel glamorous. Va-va-voom (Interviewed by Galia Myron for Demodirt.com [Published in "Subscription Required" Area])
 
Brand images are so powerful that merely carrying a shopping bag with company’s logo can affect how consumers feel about themselves, says research from the University of Minnesota. Study authors Deborah Roedder John and Ji Kyung Park say that the brand personality can rub off onto buyers, making them see themselves through the lens of the image, even if just for a short time.

In a study examining the power of branding, female shoppers were given either Victoria’s Secret shopping bags or plain pink shopping bags to carry around a mall. An hour later, participants filled out a questionnaire in which they chose which personality traits best described them, including qualities that can also be used to describe the Victoria’s Secret brand. Results indicated that shoppers who carried the branded bags were more likely to describe themselves as feminine, glamorous, and good-looking than those who had been given plain pink bags.
 
However, some people are more affected by brand personality than others, the researchers found. Participants who felt that their personality traits are fixed and cannot be improved by efforts at self-improvement were more likely to be affected by carrying a bag from Victoria’s Secret, while those who felt their personality traits were flexible and that they were capable of improving themselves, were less likely to be affected by the brand.
 
"Consumers most affected by their experience with Victoria's Secret held certain beliefs about their personalities," the study authors write. "They believe their personal qualities are fixed and cannot be improved by their own efforts at self-improvement. Therefore, they look for ways to signal their positive qualities through other means, such as brands."
 
Those who see their personality traits as flexible and feel capable of self-improvement are less likely to be affected by carrying a Victoria’s Secret bag, the researchers added.

Richard Neal, founder and chief information officer of Temetic Research says that the dynamic demonstrated by this research is related to the old adage that birds of a feather flock together.
 
“There exists two types of homophily that can influence behaviors underpinning the selected attributes of self-image of a shopper,” he explains. “The first type is called ‘status homophily’ this means that people with similar social status characteristics have a high probability of associating than those with less similar characteristics. And the second, ‘value homophily’ refers to the tendency to associate with others who think like you do.” Status, Neal says, is what attracts such attention.
 
“In the case of a luxury brand—think: Tiffany—status homophily probably accounts for the draw,” he explains. “Shoppers want others to know, or think, they can afford a specific lifestyle, that they are part of the higher or elite social status as witnessed through the display of a luxury brand—and often the behavior that goes along with it.”
 
While Tiffany & Co. is a status brand, Birkenstock sandals, Neal says, is a lifestyle brand, demonstrating an example of value homophily.
 
“As a shopper, I display my lifestyle brand because this is how I think life should be lived, how I want others to comprehend my belief system that is aligned with my lifestyle that is validated through my presented brand,” he explains. “Furthermore, similar to status-driven homophily, I want to be able to identify others with similar ideologies and values—to define who amongst us is a member of our ‘tribe.’”

Why does one’s perception of flexibility in terms of personality traits and self-improvement affect which people are influenced by branding? “Those people who were viewed as being more affected by brand personality were more attuned to exhibiting a specific intrinsic behavior focused upon a specific extrinsic desire,” Neal explains. “Victoria Secret's brand image conveys clear connotations related to the brand. A word picture depicting that image would most likely involve keywords, such as ‘sexy,’ ‘confident,’ [and so on].”
 
The brand reputation and the shopper’s self-image connect to create the power of the brand’s image.
 
“By aligning oneself with the brand—displaying the brand—a shopper is taking on the conveyed image of the brand as a presented trait of the shopper herself,” he tells demodirt.com. “And the power of the connotation is directly proportional and positively correlated with the popularity of the brand itself. So a shopper's intrinsic behavior presented through touting a bag carrying a specific—and in most cases, popular—brand is based on that shopper's desire to be part of the social grouping related to or reflecting the brand's image portrayal.”
 
Consumers then translate the experience into: "’Look at the brand on my bag... I am a part of this group! Therefore I am obviously sexy and confident,’" Neal says.
The power of the little pink Victoria’s Secret bag is not unique. Like Neal, Michael Gaizutis, partner and brand strategist at San Francisco-based rno1, cites the brand famous for its iconic blue bag. After buying a gift for a loved one at Tiffany & Co., Gaizutis noticed that female passersby paid him some unusual attention.
 
“I left the store and started to venture on my way back to the car,” he says. “As I left, I had a million stares from every woman I passed. I thought to myself ‘Wow...this new shirt must really be doing it for me today.’” That wasn’t what attracted feminine stares from women young and aged, Gaizutis realized. “It was rather that little blue bag from Tiffany & Co. that left a lingering impression,” he says.

The Tiffany & Co. bag is “magical,” Gaizutis maintains. "It connects with women, especially, on an emotional level,” he says. “It makes them feel: beautiful, successful, empowered, stunning and most of all...whimsical. This little blue bag is a fairy tale that comes to life. Regardless of what's inside, it's always amazing. Why is it amazing? Because of the connection, and the experience that runs parallel with it. And as such, boosting one's self-image and self-worth, making them feel glamorous.”

While Tiffany & Co. and Victoria’s Secret make women feel beautiful and glamorous, men may feel a boost from brands like Porsche, Gaizutis notes.
“These branded products do make us feel good,” he contends. “They boost our confidence, they shift our attitudes and our perceptions. They create an added sense of worth to us, and those who are surrounded by these stellar branded products.”

While personality traits influence how shoppers may feel about themselves due to brand influence, what about other markers like age, race, gender? “A brand’s influence is very much weighted by age, race and gender, just as it might be with personality traits (fixed vs. flexible) and how you're wired at the core,” Gaizutis says. “Individuals who are most affected by various brands have a deep emotional connection with these brands, and witness a ‘brand trigger’ that sends off a little alarm telling them they want or desire such branded products.”

Because brands have a life of their own—they are biotic, as Gaizutis says—they grow and change with the customer.
 
“We all want to be sold something we want, not something we need,” he explains. “What it comes down to is a brand's ability to hone into these specific criteria, and grow into biotic brands—those that connect with us at each and every touch point, that reach us on the most intimate level, that live and grow as change happens. They shift and shape, creating something we can't live without. They are the Apples and Virgin Americas of the world. They get it...and we love them for it...and we keep wanting more.”
 
Because brands become such an integrated part of our lives, they naturally become connected to our self-image, Neal notes.
 
“It comes as no surprise that our consumerism is soundly integrated as an attribute of our self-identity,” he concludes. “And our self-identity is heavily influenced by social and cultural factors—humans are, after all, social animals.”

24 June 2010 
Tweeting All the Way to the Bank - Social media signficantly influences consumer behavior  (Interviewed by Galia Myron for Demodirt.com)

Nearly two-thirds of Americans (64 percent) use social media, and the majority (84 percent) reveal details about themselves to others through these channels, says a Harris Poll examining consumer behavior and online social networks. One-quarter (26 percent) of online adults publicize their displeasure with companies, brands, or products, while nearly that number (23 percent) also discuss their satisfaction with brands, products or companies that they like. Nearly one in five respondents (19 percent) post online product reviews and recommendations. Overall, about one-third of poll participants (34 percent) say that they have gone online to compliment or slam a product, brand or company.
 
Why are consumers going online to rant and rave? Two in five adults (38 percent) say that when they post accounts of their customer experiences, they seek to influence others, and nearly half (46 percent) say that they feel they can be, according to the poll, “brutally honest” while online. While Americans aged 55 and older are less likely to engage in social media outlets—less than half of that age group (43 percent) versus more than three-quarters (78 percent) of those aged 18 to 34—all age groups who go online are equally as likely to express their displeasure with a product. However, younger consumers feel more comfortable expressing their opinions of brands online than do older shoppers. More young people also say they feel more comfortable being brutally honest online than do older consumers.

Notably, the same number of people who follow online reviews also trust the traditional reviews offered by newspapers and magazines. Nearly half of Americans who use social media say reviews about a particular company, brand or product from friends or people they follow on social networking websites influence them either a great deal or a fair amount (45 percent)—the same number as Americans who say reviews in newspaper or magazine articles influence them (46 percent).
What does all this mean for consumers and companies?

Richard Neal, founder and chief information officer of Temetic Research says that the Harris findings reflect what his company has observed for over the past year. “People are sharing their lives as never before due to the massive adoption rate of social networks and the hardware (desktops, laptops, netbooks and smartphones) used to send and receive communications via these networks becoming ubiquitous,” he explains. “It is now becoming interwoven into our social lives—into who we are and how we self-identify.” How did social media become such a trusted source, and so quickly?

“Social media has had explosive growth as a trustworthy source because so many individuals look to social media in their personal life, work life, and everyday life,” Michael Gaizutis, partner and brand strategist at San Francisco-based rno1. “From Facebook to Twitter, or LinkedIn to Evernote, we're constantly surrounded by family, friends, colleagues and acquaintances that rely heavily on these sources as their primary sources for information, or relevant content.”

The poll’s finding that consumers find peer online reviews as trustworthy as professional newspaper and magazine reviews is interesting, but Neal says, “not surprising at all.” “Consumers trust other consumers for a variety of reasons,” he says. “Other consumers are ‘actual people like me’ or ‘more truthful’ or ‘have no reason to lie’ or ‘offer an unbiased opinion’ or ‘have no agenda’ or ‘you get both the positives and the negatives.’"

Samir Bhavnani , vice president of EXPO Communications, Inc., a video-based community designed for consumers to share customer experiences, says that he has also noticed that consumers tend to trust their peers, at least more than they the companies that sell the products. ‘We've done surveys with over 2,000 people,” he tells demodirt.com. “We asked who they trusted more when it comes to product descriptions, and more than 90 percent said they trusted other consumers over the brand’s description.”

Like Neal and Gaizutis, Bhavnani says that social media invites consumer trust because peers simply offer potential shoppers a way to relate. “The reason social media has taken off so quickly as a trustworthy resource is the context of seeing what real people you know or your friends know have to say about brands and products lends a very authentic experience,” he explains.

Neal says that consumer reliance upon online reviews depends on the situation, and on the relationships between that shopper and the reviewers. “The consumer relying upon posted reviews is considering posted reviews based on the type of reviews being read,” Neal says. “In the case of more generalized reviews—outside the comment ring of their friends or groups of friends—they would be seeking majority views of the ‘hive mind.’” For example, he explains, if the majority of reviewers give a product a positive review, then the average consumer would interpret the overall review of the items as “soundly positive.”

Even within one’s peer group, the closeness of its members to the consumer makes a difference, Neal notes. “In the case of product review commentary taking place within their own social groups, the consumer would weigh the comments based on the closeness—the degree of friendship as an indicator of trust of—a particular reviewer against the other reviews,” Neal maintains. “If 5 out of 7 of my closest friends state this product ‘sucks’ while 10 other ‘associates’—closely aligned with me but not as close as my best friends—state they like it, I’m much more likely to make the decision that this is not for me.” Professional reviewers, he adds, simply don’t fall into the definition of “trustworthy” for many shoppers. “This definition is not inclusive of a professional tester or critic—also identified as a “stranger”—being paid for their feedback by convention media sources,” Neal notes.

What are the benefits and disadvantages for consumers who depend on product reviews from social media outlets? “[They] certainly get the benefits of knowing it's a real consumer providing the opinion,” Bhavnani says. “A drawback is consumer reviewers may often not have the experience or context of a professional reviewer.”
”Obviously, the advantages are that consumer information is simply a click away,” Neal states. “The disadvantages are that consumer information is simply a click away. Pressures of conformity, which skew to younger segments, once isolated in the parameter of social settings, have now permeated every waking hour.”

Like Neal, Gaizutis says that the immediacy is a main benefit of this shift in communication. “Utilizing new media—social media—give us (the consumer) the opportunity to see a continuous movement or ‘flow’ of information and relevant content,” he explains. “Gone are the days where we have to wait to get the latest, breaking story from any one source. Now, we're inundated with opportunities to know what has happened, or what's happening, sometimes, potentially before it's even happened.” While the effects on the customer experience are clear, what has the popularity of reviews on social media outlets done for businesses?

Large and small brands and businesses, Gaizutis says, can capitalize on the opportunity to speak directly to consumers, and create connections that resonate and work. “Whether specific to a review, or more generalized as a dialogue between friends, social media is alive—it shifts and shapes as needed, and morphs to the needs, wants and desires of our changing hearts,” he maintains. “Oftentimes, it creates a potential need, want or desire to help us live a more fulfilled life. This is a major plus that most traditional media outlets can't satisfy.”

Neal says that the Internet may make brand reputations less flexible, and less likely to change due to the permanence of reviews, which remain in cyberspace years after initially posted. “The explosion of the social web means brand value counts for more than ever before,” he says. “Social commentary, in the form of product reviews, carries a high viscosity or ‘stickiness.’” Even years after a negative review is posted, future sales can be adversely affected, Neal maintains, because these reviews stick. “A potential consumer on Amazon.com can read a nasty review from someone with a particular agenda, truthful or not, about a product posted in 2002—even though the product has since gone through three version upgrades and represents millions in additional research and development dollars spent to make it better,” he explains. “The stigma attached to it is a hard one to overcome based on the communication technology we all utilize to offer our thoughts about it.”

Negative reviews, according to the poll, while just as likely to come from any generational cohort, are most easily posted by younger cohorts. Why are younger people more comfortable being—as the poll says—“brutally honest” online than older generations?

“A better question would be ‘why are younger people more comfortable in stating their preferences online than older generations?’” Neal contends. “We see that people illustrate any number of agendas through their online behaviors—just like they do in the real world; some honest, some not.” Young people simply “leverage” online communication as if it were the real world, he explains, which is a difficult concept for older cohorts to adopt. “The term ‘online communication’ obviously means something different for the different generations,” Neal maintains. “The digital generations think in terms of communication synchronicity, or the lack thereof, as relative—often interpreted as ‘(near) real time conferencing on a one-to-many scale.’”

Though social media may not seem as real as real life to many users, it is nonetheless its own entity. “Social media just as much as a living thing as we are. It's agile and adaptive, and feeds off of our interactions and movements,” Gaizutis concludes. “It's truly biotic.”

23 June 2010
The Best Compliment Possible

Recently our company was introduced into an important meeting as “strange”… as in, “those strange guys behind the innovative technology”. Counterintuitive to the average reader, this was one of the best compliments I’ve ever heard. It was stated in a very sincere and friendly way. It was received in the same manner. Those participating in the meeting instantly resonated with its significance and reflected upon this in further conversation. The Webster dictionary defines the word “strange” as: departing from what is ordinary, usual, or to be expected. At a time when the industry (and, some might say, even the business world) with which we find ourselves is flooded with an epidemic of “me too” copy-cat syndrome, we warmly welcome the descriptors of strange, atypical, eccentric, nutty, and even outlandish.

The absolute worst thing someone could possibly call me… something that would honestly stop me in my tracks and hurt… would be the word “normal”.

08 June 2010
RT @Zappos:
"Find a job you like and you add five days to every week." -H. Jackson Brown Jr.

05 May 2010
Evolution of multidimensional Social Web Metrics

The socialization of the “web” is quickly becoming the primary transformative venue for society. Just as this transformation remains unprecedented for all of written history, so does the taxonomy comprising its underlying social complexity. From the diversity of communication elements (textual, pictorial, video, and audible) used for information conveyance to the array of appliances (web books, cell phones, etc.) currently supporting global adoption – the digital world is definitely changing how we interact. What has not kept pace with the explosion of this intertwined connectedness are the definitions and metrics we employ for comprehending the computer-mediated interaction.

While there has been some advances made in the relatively new sub-field of Linguistics, not surprisingly called Digital Linguistics, the prevailing model of online comprehension is not much more advanced than what can be formulated from the standard search query return. And as a result, our framework of awareness remains fixed within the mid-1990s parameter of “popularity” (with its synonyms of chatter and buzz). For all things of the Internet age, the mid-1990s are equivalent to a digital Paleolithic-era of stone tools. The singular, universally-accepted dimension of popularity delineates very little tangible data from the flood of information with which to build and maintain dynamic strategy for modern day business. This is especially impactful to operational specialties necessary for asset production and market share fortification. The practices of brand management, product management, and even to an extent, crisis management still prescribe to rudimentary, static, or even non-digital means for understanding the world. This is being done while the global consumer conversation flows at an ever-increasing frequency across the web - unexamined sans the hollow quantification extracted through the myopic lens of chatter. Obviously, the current knowledge chasm affecting business related to the absence of a solid framework for interpreting perceptions online must be closed in order for even for the most obvious level of understanding and comprehension to increase.

For an example of the systemic challenges experienced in extracting useful data from the web with current measures, imagine attempting to comprehend interests, attitudes, and opinions from a photograph (or sequential snapshots for those espousing “real-time monitoring”) of a writhing and frenzied crowd attending a rock concert. By observing the sheer numbers in attendance it is apparent this is a popular event. Possibly by identifying the general direction of attention within the vast sea of faces or the ancillary presence of pyrotechnic glare on the venue walls one can extrapolate some degree of context. However, without a comprehensive construct from which to depict multidimensional perception elements, basically how we interpret fellow humans in a social context, what degree of significant information can be deduced from the snapshot(s)? Relating this to the socialization of the web, what is required is a codification of the diverse variables reflective of the way we communicate via Internet technology. Online contact follows distinctive laws enforced by the parameters of the digital services being used. Logically, the formulation and adoption of cues and norms associated with this socialization are impacted by these rules. A depth of contextual analysis can be had through much more than emoticons or by being “flamed” by capitalized text.

We, netizens, are quickly adapting to the increasing importance of the social web by interpreting information via mechanisms that are much more complex than the discernment of popularity. People are naturally calculating metadata to assist in augmenting comprehension without the benefits of objective proximity. A sample of this higher-order information is the identification of the utilized communication element(s), channel type (affinity group message board, politically-charged weblog, etc.), attributes of language (human and/or constructed), and the ever-present variable of time (the freshness of the communiqué or topic). It is now essential for professional, business-grade metrics to evolve, adapt, and scale towards mapping the comprehension of online socialization in a similar manner.

While the promise of increased understanding via the Semantic Web remains intriguing, its current practice (outside of a handful of esoteric data-mining research efforts) is predominantly employed via the use of crowd-sourcing. “Please tell us what category or title you would give to this [text, picture, or video] you are viewing now.” Just like surveys and questionnaires, the success of crowd-sourcing depends solely upon the degree of participation. It still remains to be seen how the reality of the unfolding effort will be experienced. What must be noted is that important work is being performed by Temetic Research to map the systematics, ecology, and evolution of perception elements based on what is currently available within the digital realm (outside of the ongoing debates regarding “Web 3.0”). Through the classification and definition of today’s online interactions, it is possible to depict the nomenclature of awareness – to construct a comprehensive ontology of the socialized web. And as most business professionals would agree, understanding the complexities of awareness is crucial for gaining mindshare which is a hop, skip, and a jump away from the golden chalice of increasing market share.

28 April 2010
Quote o' the Day

Read, every day, something no one else is reading. Think, every day, something no one else is thinking. Do, every day, something no one else would be silly enough to do. It is bad for the mind to be always part of unanimity.
 -- Christopher Morley

09 April 2010
American Cheetah

Photo:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rrneal/3124600551/

Research into the American cheetah has been contradictory. It was originally believed to be an early cougar representative, before being reclassified in the 1970s as a close relative of the cheetah. This suggested that ancestors of the cheetah diverged from the Puma lineage in the Americas and migrated back to the Old World. Other research, however, examining mitochondrial DNA and re-analyzing morphology, has suggested reversing the reclassification: the American cheetah developed cheetah-like characteristics through convergent evolution, but it is most closely related to Puma and not to the modern cheetah of Africa and Asia. The supposed American origin of the modern cheetah is thus equivocal; however, it is believed to have evolved from cougar-like ancestors, whether in the Old or New World (Wikipedia, 2010).

I find the predators of the Younger Drias period – which was approximately the last ice age – such as; American Lion, Short-faced Bear, Dire Wolf, and Saber-toothed Cat absolutely fascinating (think: the animals around La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles for the appropriate mental picture). The overwhelming majority of these animals died off in the last formal mass extinction. Some ideas as to the cause of the mass extinction are abrupt climate change, human pressure, or a possible meteoric/comet impact or pandemic. Mirroring the tense argument regarding climate change now, currently there is a debate around the viability of the human pressure hypothesis. And the newest (probably most interesting to me) is the hypothesis of pandemic. I find the possibility of some pathogen destabilizing the food chain as engrossing – and presents as a model to employ against too much monoculture of livestock and vegetation within our present day food chain (e.g.; the prions and bugs).

22 March 2010
Noncomformity Comformity

If there is anything the nonconformist hates worse than a conformist, it's another nonconformist who doesn't conform to the prevailing standard of nonconformity. -- Bill Vaughan

16 March 2010
Sentient Ability

True digital sentience – defined as the ability to see or perceive your space in the online world in comparison with other spaces (or even the web as a whole) is still a novelty. Thus far, we’ve the functionality to understand user’s behavior on a website but no real perception beyond this. Advances in Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Search in combination with increases in raw computational power have set the stage for a true understanding of ideas, thoughts and expressions (collectively known as “memes”) of online users.

The ability to track the genesis of a meme, mark the exact tipping point when it derived systemic acceptance (or denial) coupled with understanding the evolution this took to reach critical mass is the underpinning of a new online search-related industry. Holistic sentiment can now be derived marking the onset of sentient technology. The potential impact within marketing, political campaigning, corporate identity valuation, crisis management and intranet/portal management remains great.

20 February 2010
When Two Tribes go to War

Over the past half decade, I've watched with great interest as two significant theories began building around opposite spectrums offering explanations for highly social epidemics of opinions. In one corner are the hard-core Gladwellians, a tribe of followers trumpeting Malcolm Gladwell (known for authoring the best-selling "The Tipping Point" among other titles) who espouses the social theory of Influentials or e-Influentials (from an online point-of-view). Gladwellians believe there is an orderly, defined method to be utilized for successful marketing. In sum, identify and persuade a relatively few highly-connected individuals who are at the center or nodes of broad social system networks and an influential marketing message you shall have. The core concepts shared by this band of brothers and sisters borrow heavily from the original "Six Degrees" studies of social networks performed in the late 1960s. A more modern day version of this is best known as the "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon" game that illustrates the seemingly uncanny flow of hyper-connections between people (e.g.; movie stars who can be linked to Mr. Bacon).

In the other corner, we have the Wattsians. As the newest gang, these enthusiastic folk pursue the paradigms of thought contagion transmission offered by network-theory scientist, Duncan Watts. The Wattsians believe that starting a trend is not as simplistic as identifying and persuading a small group of opinion leaders who then fan the flames of a particular opinion's popularity. Citing epidemiology, or the study of how viruses are spread (or fail to spread), the Wattsians proclaim that the social theory of Influentials remains ineffective. They counter that the emergence of a viral message depends on the varying degree of susceptibility the public has towards that particular message - where successful transmissibility is as dependent upon the receiver as that of the opinion spreader. In short, a thought contagion isn't truly contagious unless a large enough group is willing to be persuaded regardless of what the core influentials or key spreaders tell them.

As the current chapter in advertising and marketing research history is being written, the Gladwellians will be identified as enjoying the lead as evidenced through the billions of dollars business continues to spend on tracking the influencers or buzz leaders. In my capitalistic-driven attempt towards remaining neutral amongst the growing bilateral tensions, I must admit to a growing fascination with the Wattsian camp. The working analog of pathogen transmission is a great model to leverage in understanding how opinions are shared or ignored. Nonetheless, it is important to state that we, at Temetic Research, continue to maintain that there is significant research value in offering comprehensive information based from both theories. This is underwritten by the military principle of force multiplier -- with a robust breadth and depth of critical data (not limited by any single social network theory), the better our clients can ensure a more appropriate spend in relation to managing their image, brand, product, service or crisis situation based upon global online sentiment.

18 February 2010
Words that stand the test of time

Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe. -- H. G. Wells, Outline of History (1920)

31 January 2010
Innovators must resist culturally-endowed stupefaction

Over the past three decades, the gradual reduction in true American innovation remains negatively correlated with the gradual increase in the mass media’s ability to continually flood the populace’s awareness with entertainment on par with "bubble gum for the brain". Although, it can be argued that our entertainment choices are a direct reflection of the demand-side model this is supposed to represent. However, even while entertaining simple observational insight one could offer that "hip" quotes, behavior, and fashions are led by movies moreso than movies are led by popular thrends. Regardless, we are faced with a widely-held ignorance related to our competitiveness (it doesn't enter into the popular culture as a topic worthy of examination).

Yes, there is innovation in this country. No, it is not as prevalent as it once was. Some would state that this is the logical result of >50% of all hard science and engineering advanced degrees being bestowed in this country to students of foreign birth (many of whom return to their homeland upon receiving said degree). A recent New England Journal of Medicine article cited forecasts illustrating that by the year 2020, 80% of bio-engineering advanced degrees will go to foreign students in American universities. I believe this is just part of the story. Through the systematic stupefaction of our society, business culture (behavioral norms from the "tip of our economic spear") has begun to reflect general culture and is quickly evolving to adopt norms that actually instill disincentives towards the process of thinking (critical thinking, creative brainstorming, etc.).

In Corporate America, we are taught that critical thinking is what you do during your off-hours. In fact, the fine art of brainstorming is now a course that must be taught so you can show your hard-earned certification on your resume. As a past F500 management consultant, I’ve become very used to seeing situations where ideation is simply given a superficial nod with little more expended towards its evaluation. Who wants optimization, intrapreneurialism, and positive change when one can work towards and embrace the status quo? When change (or just the idea of change) becomes a four-letter word, it indicates that our society has become mollified by its own history of success. Arrogance and ignorance become closely intertwined in this realm.

There is literally a monetary hurdle imposed on the activity that I’ll call “practiced thinking” (sans the depiction of the Silicon Valley entrepreneurial culture). A primary example of this "Onslaught Of The Stupid" is when the ex-CTO of Microsoft was forced to defend his funding of Microsoft’s global research and development division AT EVERY INTERVIEW given during his tenure in the 90s. Dr. Nathan Myhrvold would patiently restate the tangible and intangible ROI of “practiced thinking” and cite a few viable examples of why this endeavor is actually primary to Microsoft’s longevity (fast-forward to now, and Microsoft has indicated that every single project in its pipeline has been thoroughly vetted by its R&D division for optimal market traction). Most obvious from this case in point is that the standard criterion applied to this cerebral-based activity is immediately categorized thusly, “You cannot make money from brainstorming.” It is currently considered of limited purpose in this country... like a peripheral effort that can be undertaken by anyone while zoned out watching “Reality TV”. I completely disagree. It takes an explicit degree of general and specific experience as well as broad applicable knowledge to generate innovative ideas (imaginary or not) - plus a rebel-like personality that doesn't follow convention. This type of person is on the “endangered list” in our society and within the current business landscape. Additionally, I’ve yet to find certification training in practiced thinking that reflects these necessary attributes.

Personally, I seek-out and surrounded myself with idea-driven people as friends and associates. It is people of this caliber that are required for continued innovation and forward momentum in any society. This particular variety of rarified “practiced thinker” isn’t limited by current stereotyping or succumbs to cultural normative pressures -- hiding in some ivory academic tower offering little free-market potential or willfully sequestered in some back office outside of the real work flow. These thinkers, and their ilk, are producers and their ability to create given the hurdles outlined here will be a true micro-measure of the continued success of our country in an ever-increasingly competitive global market.

23 January 2010
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" presents with numerous erudite quotes. I'm including one of my favorites here:"For what it's worth: it's never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There's no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you're proud of. If you find that you're not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again."